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Considering removing the functioning electric start from my 501 Excalibur, and would like to locate the smaller non-e start cover to replace it, in either black or natural.
As for the Ducati flywheel, supposedly I can just drill the rivets off, remove the starter drum and use it as is. Unless anyone knows otherwise...

Steve

the adapted flywheels I have seen didn't have the rivets drilled but just the rim trimmed off
I might have a cover for you, pm me if you're interested
André (Netherlands)

Something deep in my memory remembers a conversation with Alex at NLM (although don't hold me to that) about doing this and him saying that there could be a problem with the flywheel breaking up if you drill the rivets out, i think you need to leave the rivets and sort of cut off the starter drum round the rivets....might be worth investiagting before drilling it off!!

Before you do anything, talk to NLM.

Stewart has told me in the past that he's mostly selling bikes to 'old farts' and that he often needs to supply a functional electric start to complete the sale. You may be able to do a deal.

The rivets hold the cast alloy past of the flywheel to the steel taper hub.

Thanks for all the info. Rivets hold the steel hub on, that explains why even flywheels without the starter drum have rivets.

I emailed Stuart, awaiting his reply.

One thing I asked him, "Is each flywheel balanced to its respective engine, or are they interchangeable?" It does have both sets (350/500) of timing marks, so that would lead me to believe it would work on all 350 through 507 motors.

Yep, better cut off the rim instead of removing the rivets. I've done this once and the flywheel came off with the centre still attached to the crank...
No further damage fortunately, but it looked a bit silly

I went to overtake a car on my 500-6 when the engine suddenly died.
After a 12 hour AA recovery home from Wales to Norfolk I found the flywheel and starter ring had come loose.
All of the rivets had sheared.
AFter a quick call to Benjy Straw at Weevee he told me to use short nuts and bolts with split washers to hold it all together.
It's been like this for over 20 years now with no problems.
I check they are all still tight each time I do a cambelt change

Never heard of anyone else having all the rivets shear.

swtuggle wrote: "Is each flywheel balanced to its respective engine, or are they interchangeable?" It does have both sets (350/500) of timing marks, so that would lead me to believe it would work on all 350 through 507 motors.

Concerning this, I know the flywheels from 500 Camels and normal 500's look the same, but have timing marks on different places. The Camel flywheel is also noticably lighter than the normal 500 one. I haven't weighed it, but you can easily feel it.

I don't doubt you, but I would have assumed that only the 507cc Camel and Excalibur would have different timing marks, since they have cams with different valve timing, L versus J, respectively, according to the cam specs on the Dutch site. However, they say the J cam went with the Kokusan ignition, but my Excal does have the Ducati ignition, so I guess it's a standard 500 cam.

Yes, but the Camel has a different cam as well, not a standard 500 cam. It's marked N...
Confused you will be

Cam/valve timing has nothing directly to do with ignition timing.

Ignition timing marks line up with the cam center-line on e-start engines and with a boss on the cases on pre e-start engines.

The 500 will have different full advance marks compared to the 350.

The J cam is the old 500 cam, but without the flat on the end to drive the ignition rotor.

With so many variants, I'm now wondering if my e-start flywheel, once the starter drum is removed, would even fit under a non-e housing/cover?

What was the reason for having different timing reference marks?

Hi,

The original non electric start models had the timing marks that could only be read with the side case removed. When the electric start was added, the timing marks were moved to the top and a 'handy' window added to the new side case with a rubber bung so it was now possible to check timing without removing the case. Just evolution.... (See EVguru response above)

Still no luck obtaining a right side non-e start cover for a Ducati flywheel/alternator. Anyone else?